Who was Abraham in the bible?
Abraham (also called Abram) appears in genealogies and covenant references in 1 Chronicles, Deuteronomy, Kings, and Chronicles.
Family Line
“The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael.” (1 Chronicles 1:28) “The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.” (1 Chronicles 1:32)
Learn More →Covenant References
“the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac.” (1 Chronicles 16:16) “Yahweh was gracious… because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (2 Kings 13:23)
Learn More →Abraham is the later name of Abram, and the name is explained (by lexicon derivation) as connected with the idea of being a “father of a multitude.” In the passages provided, Abraham appears chiefly in genealogies and in references to Yahweh’s covenant oath and land promise made to the fathers.
Abraham in Scripture
In 1 Chronicles 1, Abraham is placed within a long genealogical record that moves from the earliest generations to later peoples and lines. The chapter begins by listing early ancestors—“Adam, Seth, Enosh,” and onward through “Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth” (1 Chronicles 1:1, 1 Chronicles 1:4)—then traces lines through various sons and nations. Within this setting, Abraham enters the record as the later name of Abram.
Abram (also called Abraham). (1 Chronicles 1:27)
After naming him, the genealogy turns to his descendants. Abraham is identified as the father of Isaac and Ishmael.
The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. (1 Chronicles 1:28)
The chapter immediately expands the line of Ishmael by listing his sons: “the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam,” continuing through “Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah” (1 Chronicles 1:29–31). In addition to Isaac and Ishmael, the genealogy records more children through Keturah, described as Abraham’s concubine, and traces further branches from them.
The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. (1 Chronicles 1:32)
The line continues by listing the sons of Midian—“Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah” (1 Chronicles 1:33). The genealogy then returns to the central line through Isaac with a direct statement of Abraham’s fatherhood.
Abraham became the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel. (1 Chronicles 1:34)
From there, 1 Chronicles 1 continues beyond Abraham to detail the descendants of Esau and other related lines, and then lists “the kings who reigned in the land of Edom” and the “chiefs of Edom” (1 Chronicles 1:43, 1 Chronicles 1:51–54). Abraham’s role in the chapter is thus to anchor a major turning point in the genealogy: Abram, also called Abraham, is named; his sons are identified; and his wider offspring are enumerated.
Outside this genealogical setting, Abraham appears in statements about Yahweh’s covenant and oath. In 1 Chronicles 16, Abraham is tied to covenant language paired with Isaac.
the covenant which he made with Abraham, his oath to Isaac. (1 Chronicles 16:16)
In a prayer, Abraham is named as one of the patriarchal figures defining Israel’s relationship to Yahweh.
Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the heart of your people, and prepare their heart for you; (1 Chronicles 29:18)
In 1 Kings, Elijah addresses Yahweh using the same identification, seeking public recognition that Yahweh is God in Israel and that Elijah’s actions are at Yahweh’s word.
At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came near, and said, “Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.” (1 Kings 18:36)
In 2 Chronicles, Abraham is described with a relational title in connection with the land given to his offspring.
Didn’t you, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it to the offspring of Abraham your friend forever? (2 Chronicles 20:7)
Another passage appeals to Israel to return to Yahweh under the same patriarchal identification.
So the couriers went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, “You children of Israel, turn again to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return (2 Chronicles 30:6)
In Kings, Yahweh’s compassion toward his people is explicitly connected to a covenant naming Abraham among the fathers.
But Yahweh was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect for them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, and he didn’t cast them from his presence as yet. (2 Kings 13:23)
In Deuteronomy, Abraham is named in the formula by which Yahweh swore the land to “your fathers.” The land promise is stated as a basis for Israel’s call to possess the land.
Behold, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers—to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob—to give to them and to their offspring after them.’ ” (Deuteronomy 1:8)
The same promise is repeated as the background for Israel’s coming into “great and goodly cities which you didn’t build,” grounded in what Yahweh “swore to your fathers.”
It shall be, when Yahweh your God brings you into the land which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you, great and goodly cities which you didn’t build, (Deuteronomy 6:10)
Name and Meaning
The name is written אַבְרָהָם, transliterated ‘Abraham and pronounced ab-raw-hawm. Lexicon derivation explains it as contracted from H1 together with an unused root probably meaning “to be populous,” yielding the sense “father of a multitude,” and it notes the component ‘ab (אָב) as meaning “father” in a literal and immediate sense. The identity gloss further describes Abraham as the later name of Abram.
Observation
Across the passages provided, Abraham is consistently used as a defining reference point for genealogy (“The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael,” 1 Chronicles 1:28) and for covenant and promise (“the covenant which he made with Abraham,” 1 Chronicles 16:16; “the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers—to Abraham,” Deuteronomy 1:8).
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Abraham mean?
The name Abraham means “father of a multitude.”
How many times does Abraham appear in the Bible?
Abraham occurs 153 times.
Who was Abraham?
Abraham is the later name of Abram (1 Chronicles 1:27). He became the father of Isaac (1 Chronicles 1:34).
Who were Abraham’s sons mentioned in these passages?
“The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael” (1 Chronicles 1:28).
Explore Further
If you found this page about Abraham interesting and would like to discover more about other biblical characters, explore our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Biblical Characters. For those looking to delve deeper into the Greek origins of these names and terms, our Greek Lexicon is an invaluable resource.
Sources: Name and occurrence data from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and STEPBible reference data (CC BY). Scripture quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).
